Historic Pig Liver Transplant in China Signals Paradigm Shift in medicine
Shanghai, China – In a medical first, surgeons in China successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig liver into a living human patient, a development hailed as a potential turning point in the global fight against organ shortages. The groundbreaking procedure, performed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, offers a beacon of hope for the thousands who die annually awaiting life-saving liver transplants.
While the patient ultimately succumbed to complications 171 days post-transplant, the achievement marks a significant leap forward in xenotransplantation – the process of transplanting living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another. The case, detailed in the Journal of Hepatology, demonstrates the feasibility of using genetically engineered pig organs to address the critical scarcity of human donor organs, a particularly acute problem in China where approximately 6,000 liver transplants are performed annually despite hundreds of thousands suffering from liver failure.
The recipient underwent the transplant on March 28, 2024, receiving a liver from a pig genetically modified to reduce the risk of immune rejection and viral transmission. For 38 days, the transplanted liver functioned effectively, demonstrating its potential to sustain life. Though, the patient subsequently developed xTMA (xenograft-transmitted microangiopathy), a complication involving antibody-mediated rejection, ultimately leading to his death on August 16, 2024.
“The shortage of human organs for transplantation is a global problem,” explains the research published in the Journal of hepatology. “xenotransplantation could partially fill this gap between organ demand and supply.”
This isn’t the first attempt at xenotransplantation. Previous efforts, including a 2022 transplant of a pig heart into a U.S. patient, faced similar challenges with rejection and complications. Though, each case provides invaluable data, refining genetic modifications and immunosuppressive therapies. Researchers are focused on overcoming hurdles like xTMA and improving long-term graft survival.
The successful, albeit temporary, function of the pig liver in a human host validates years of research and opens avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting severe liver diseases, including acute and chronic liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma.the procedure underscores a growing global investment in xenotransplantation, with ongoing research exploring pig kidneys, lungs, and other organs as potential solutions to the organ crisis.
Key Stages of Transplantation:
| Day | Event |
|---|---|
| 0 | Transplantation of genetically modified pig liver |
| 38 | development of the xTMA complication |
| 171 | Patient death |
